Tyra Banks' Face Mask and a Word to the Wise on Wearing Fancy Pants Headgear in Public

Last night, Paris Vogue threw a masked ball in honor of their 90th anniversary (looking good for a granny, huh?) in the City of Light. When photos of the blow-out bash surfaced this morning and I saw this snap of the always-gorge Tyra Banks wearing a black mesh face mask, all I could think was "Girl, I know exactly what you're going through right now." Let's get all Family Feud on this photo and make a list of thoughts that likely are going through Tyra's head, shall we? Here are my top three ideas:

Last night, Paris Vogue threw a masked ball in honor of their 90th anniversary (looking good for a granny, huh?) in the City of Light. When photos of the blow-out bash surfaced this morning and I saw this snap of the always-gorge Tyra Banks wearing a black mesh face mask, all I could think was "Girl, I know *exactly *what you're going through right now." Let's get all Family Feud on this photo and make a list of thoughts that likely are going through Tyra's head, shall we? Here are my top three ideas:

1. "I knew I should have gone with that fancy headband veil combo instead."

2. "Hmm, I wonder how I'm going to eat with this thing."

3. "Am now thinking that this is a bit much. I want to spend the whole night in the bathroom / call my mom or my BFF and freak out."

Now, don't get me wrong: Tyra, as always, looks like a million bucks and pulls a crazily complicated accessory off like no one else could. But trust me when I tell you that stepping out in something like this takes major *cojones. * (Which TB definitely has--in fact, my runner-up idea is #4: "The rest of you ladies just phoned it in with those itty bitty eye cover-ups. The invite said masked ball and THIS is a mask!")

Years ago (spring 2006 in fact, when Viktor & Rolf sent all their models down the runway wearing basket-weave fencing masks) I had a new boss who assignment me to cover a big swanky party, but required that I wear an evening gown, glittery jewels and yes, a Viktor and Rolf face mask while doing so. She wanted to see how the big runway trend would transfer to real life (although I'm pretty sure that she also wanted to test me and what I'd professed as my hardcore love of fashion).

Needless to say, I was more than a little freaked out by the assignment, even more so once I walked in the door and saw that everyone else decided to take a cocktail dress approach to the black-tie dress code. So picture other gal in the crowd in a comfy and cute in a little LBD, while I practically feel my way through the room in a hard-to-see-through face mask and cumbersome floor-length gown. People didn't stare at me and my face contraption like I thought they would--they just ignored me completely. I tried to interview some celebrities including Nick Lahey (like I said, it was '06) to get quotes about the party but their PR folks took one look at my face mask and said "no comment." While fortunately no one could see me blushing under the face "accessory," I lasted about 20 minutes total before I booked it through the bathroom to remove my face mask and yes, call my mom to tell her that I wasn't so sure about this fashion gig after all.

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Later, it made for a good story--I stuck with it, grew to love the job and think-outside-the-box boss--but it left me wary of wearing majorly creative headgear on 364 days out of the year (Halloween is the exception--Lady Gaga concerts are too) unless they have these qualities: You can buy one at the mall (then the trend is not so shocking to everyone else, so people will actually have a conversation with you), you can easily and drink eat in one and it doesn't cost more than $25 (expensive, under-worn accessories don't do anyone any favors).

Anyhow, that's my little style show-n-tell for today. Since Halloween is coming up around the corner and all, here are two more picts from the Vogue party--of Natalia Vodianova and Karolina Kurkova both in dainty veils--in case you're looking for some cool costume ideas. Pretty sexy stuff, no? If you dress up like this and someone asks what your costume is, you can just tell them that you're being a chic guest at a French Vogue party. Or a high-fashion dominatrix--your call.

__Anyone else have any "I tried something totally trendy and it was a major wardrobe fail" story to share? Agree with my headgear qualities list or have some to add? Think wild accessories and face masks are a DO or a DON'T in real life? How 'bout big parties!? __